Speculation surrounding Connor Hellebuyck's future has been floating around for years at this point, and it reached a fever pitch around the draft and the beginning of free agency. We're almost to September and the start of training camp. He's still a Winnipeg Jet, but that could be changing soon. It feels like we've said that a few times already, though.
Hellebuyck publicly requested a trade out of Winnipeg on Thursday afternoon, adding another chapter to the seemingly never-ending saga. Of course, with this announcement comes the groundswell of trade rumors and mock trades, almost none of which make sense for the majority of teams in the NHL. The Carolina Hurricanes, however, make plenty of sense for Hellebuyck.
The Canes fall in that small portion of the pie where trading for Hellebuyck is reasonable and legitimately possible. I would throw Buffalo and New Jersey, among others, into the mix as well. They have the cap space to pull off the move, currently sitting with just under $10 million, according to PuckPedia. They also have the prospects and draft capital to sweeten a deal, if necessary.
You've heard plenty about Hellebuyck's resume, winning three Vezinas, two Jennings, a Hart, and an Olympic Gold Medal. There is no doubt he's one of the best goalies on the planet, if not the very best. He would be worth the investment, especially with his contract at $8.5 million until 2031. The cap is only going up, so this is a pretty valuable contract for a contending team in their window.
I understand that not every Caniac would be on board for a potential Hellebuyck deal, and I acknowledge the concern. Hellebuyck doesn't have a good postseason track record. His last three appearances have been particularly rough. However, Hellebuyck has been excellent during his last two best-on-best appearances at the 4 Nations and the Winter Olympics.
Pyotr Kochetkov has been around for a while, but he's never been the primary goalie in the playoffs. He has made just four starts and ten appearances across four postseasons, winning twice and posting a rough .860/3.80 line. He was the third goalie this year after Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi, who only has four playoff games under his belt, coming in this year's Stanley Cup Final.
What would need to change this time for the Canes to get it done?
Before the draft, the Canes made the Jets an offer for Hellebuyck. The package included Alexander Nikishin and the 31st pick. Obviously, the Jets didn't take it. There was also an offer from the Sabres that, frankly, was better than Carolina's, which they also declined. Now that this situation has been made more public than it already was, the Jets' leverage has taken a hit.
To be clear, their leverage was already limited by the No Movement Clause in Hellebuyck's contract, which becomes a modified No Trade Clause at the end of this season. Hellebuyck can make his preferences known, and it'll be up to the Jets to get the deal done. I see no reason for the Hurricanes not to be among his preferred destinations.
I still think that Nikishin would need to be part of a trade for Hellebucyk, as would Kochetkov. The Jets are rolling into the season with Stuart Skinner as their presumed starter if a trade happens, and 23-year-old Thomas Milic is likely the best option to be his backup. Kochetkov, a pending free agent after this season, would be a reasonable addition to the package to tandem with Skinner.
In that same vein, when discussing Hellebuyck's fit, it's important to mention how the Canes use their goalies. During the regular season, Rod Brind'Amour tries his hardest to keep a rotation going. That's not to say that they won't ride the hot hand at times, but Hellebuyck won't need to play 60-65 games. Ideally, he would play in the ballpark of 50-55 games, with Bussi getting the remainder.
From there, the Canes could add a prospect at the top of their prospect pool. It wouldn't be crazy to see Bradly Nadeau or Felix Unger Sorum at the top of that list. Both are expected to compete for a spot on the Opening Night roster with Seth Jarvis's absence to begin the season. To round it out, sending a conditional 1st in 2028 and another mid-round pick would be a solid package.
The Jets are going to take their time and weigh their options, but it would be wise to get this done before training camp starts in a few weeks. The Canes are poised to be in the center of the conversation. Eric Tulsky is always looking to improve the team, and this fits the bill. I'd be lying if I said a Hellebuyck-Bussi tandem wouldn't be pretty sweet.
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